The popularity of firearms today, particularly firearms used by sportsmen and the like, has led to a substantial increase in the interest in competitive shooting such as international competition in pistol and rifle events. Such international events as the Olympics have promoted increased emphasis on the design of firearms which provide a maximum degree of accuracy. While the basic design of firearms utilized for target shooting has remained essentially the same, efforts have been directed to produce firearms which permit the competitor to maintain the weapon as steady as possible and to reduce the effect of external forces such as body tremors, heartbeat, breathing and the like on the firearm during use. Obviously, the effects of the trigger pull on the steadiness of the firearm is a major consideration in reducing movement of the firearm during target shooting, and it has long been recognized that an improvement in trigger action is an essential element in improving the accuracy of the firearm. This is particularly true in the area of pistol target shooting wherein the pistol is supported mainly during competitive target shooting by the hand of the competitor.
In an effort to reduce inadvertent movement of the firearm during competitive shooting, present day designs have concentrated mainly on the trigger and firing mechanisms. A variety of component parts, with this objective in mind, have been utilized in present-day weapon design which, while contributing somewhat to compensating for the tendency of the firearm to move off target when the trigger is pulled, add considerably to the weight and complexity of the firearm construction and still fall short of the desired degree of improvement. Furthermore, such complex constructions in present-day firearms not only make assembly and disassembly of the firearm protracted and difficult, but also add considerably to the cost of the firearm and to the required periodic maintenance.